Cheese of the Week: Ricotta cheese

Aimee Blume / Special to The Courier & Press
Ricotta cheese curds are strained from whey.

Ricotta cheese

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Ricotta cheese isn't a cheese in the normal sense of the word. Rather than whole milk cultured with a bacterial culture and coagulated with rennet, traditional ricotta is made by adding acid to the whey leftover from other cheese production (or permitting the whey to age an additional day to lower the PH naturally) and then heating it to just under a simmer. This coagulates every last bit of protein remaining in the whey, which is strained out — and voilà, ricotta.

The major protein in milk and cheese is called casein. There are other proteins in milk, however, called albumin and globulin, that largely remain in the whey after cheese production. These are the proteins separated from the whey to make ricotta.

While rennet makes for a silky, high-moisture curd, the high-heat, high-acid ricotta technique results in a grainy, low-fat sediment that can be whipped to fluffiness or compressed into a firm cake, but does not readily melt.

Ricotta is popular all over Italy, but especially in the dry and rocky southern parts of the country, where every food source needed to be utilized completely. As a contrast, in the rich northern pastures of Emilia Romagna, the copious whey from Parmigiano cheese production is used to feed the pigs that eventually become Prosciutto di Parma.

In the southern island of Sicily, ricotta is added to pasta sauces to increase the protein content — and the deliciousness. One example is Pasta alla Norma, a vegetarian combination of tomato, eggplant, basil and other herbs, ricotta and olive oil with chunky pasta. It also is very popular in dessert fillings, particularly cannolies and the famous Sicilian cake cassata. And ricotta is often used as a layer in lasagne — although it is notable that lasagnes made this way are recipes from southern Italy. The famous Lasagne Bolognese from northern Italy is layered with a thick white sauce made with whole milk and Parmigiano cheese.

Traditional ricottas from southern Italy are made mostly with whey from goat, sheep or water buffalo milk. One northern variety made in Piedmont uses cows' milk whey plus 10 percent whole cow's milk. Those manufactured and sold in the United States are almost always made with cows' milk, whole or skimmed, and only occasionally from whey.

A sheeps' milk version called ricotta salata is available locally (check Schnucks on north Green River Road), in which the ricotta is salted and pressed to expel moisture and greatly extend shelf life. It is sliceable and not creamy, with a strong sheep's milk flavor. It is very good shaved over spicy southern pastas containing tomato, capers and olives.

Other varieties not available locally at this time are smoked and baked cakes of ricotta, called ricotta afumicata and ricotta al forno, respectively, which are popular in Sicilian dishes.

Pasta With Sausage and Ricotta

(using fresh ricotta)

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

1 pound sweet or hot fresh Italian sausage

1 medium onion

1 cup chicken stock or broth

¼ cup heavy cream

½ cup ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons prepared pesto

- salt and pepper to taste

12 ounces chunky dry pasta such as rigatoni, penne, or fusilli

DIRECTIONS

1In a large skillet, fry the sausage, crumbling, until it is half-cooked and has rendered some fat into the pan. Add the onion and continue to cook until the sausage is opaque and the onion slightly soft.

2 Add the chicken stock, bring to a simmer, cook to reduce, about 15 minutes.

3 Add the heavy cream and simmer an additional 5 minutes to reduce. Skim off the layer of fat on the surface, if desired. Stir in ricotta and pesto, taste, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm but don't permit to boil again.

4 In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook pasta according to manufacturers's directions. Drain.

5 Toss hot pasta with the sauce, sprinkle with more cheese if desired, and serve immediately.

Mario Batalli's Pasta alla Norma

(using ricotta salata)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

½ medium red onion, chopped into ¼-inch dice

4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced

2 medium eggplants, cut into medium dice

1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes

2 sprigs fresh basil, plus leaves for garnish

1 sprig fresh thyme

— Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound macaroni (rigatoni)

½ pound ricotta salata, coarsely grated

¼ bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

¼ bunch mint, leaves chopped

— Chili flakes, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1 Bring 6 quarts water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

2 In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil until smoking. Add the onion and the garlic and cook until soft but not yet browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring regularly until softened and lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and thyme, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

3 Cook the pasta according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain well and pour the hot pasta into the pan with the eggplant mixture. Add ricotta salata and heat through.